Venezuela

[ven-uh-zwey-luh, ve-ne-swe-lah]

noun

1. a republic in northern South America. 352,143 sq. mi. (912,050 sq. km). Caracas.

2. Also called Maracaibo. Gulf of Venezuela. a gulf of the Caribbean Sea between northwestern Venezuela and northern Colombia, connecting with Lake Maracaibo. 75 miles (120 km) long and up to 150 miles (240 km) wide.

Venezuela

/ ˌvɛnɪˈzweɪlə /

noun

1. Official name: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. a republic in South America, on the Caribbean: colonized by the Spanish in the 16th century; independence from Spain declared in 1811 and won in 1819 after a war led by Simón Bolívar. It contains Lake Maracaibo and the northernmost chains of the Andes in the northwest, the Orinoco basin in the central part, and the Guiana Highlands in the south. Exports: petroleum, iron ore, and coffee. Official language: Spanish. Religion: Roman Catholic majority. Currency: bolívar. Capital: Caracas. Pop: 28 459 085 (2013 est). Area: 912 050 sq km (352 142 sq miles)

2. an inlet of the Caribbean in NW Venezuela: continues south as Lake Maracaibo

Venezuela

1. Republic in northern South America, bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Colombia to the southwest and west. Its capital and largest city is Caracas.

Venezuela became independent from Spain in 1821.

Venezuela is rich in oil, which accounts for about ninety percent of its export income. Because of its revenue from oil, Venezuela has the highest per capita national income in Latin America. It was a founder of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Example Sentences

They have lived for centuries on the semi-arid peninsula of La Guajira in the northeast of the country, and extend into neighbouring Venezuela.

From BBC

Venezuela is an economic basket case with a smaller population than Texas and virtually no functioning civil society.

From Salon

On Friday morning, for the fourth time in a month, American forces launched a strike on a boat off the coast of Venezuela that the administration claimed was trafficking drugs.

From Salon

The strikes have attracted condemnation in countries including Venezuela and Colombia, with some international lawyers describing the strikes as a breach of international law.

From BBC

In conclusion, it should be worth it to you, loyal Fox News viewers, to lose your health care to make sure some guy from Venezuela doesn’t get to see a doctor.

From Salon